Manually operable carousel-simulating toy



E a NE INVENTOR. LEE A. BARNETT Sept. 12, 1961 1.. A. BARNETT MANUALLY OPERABLE CAROUSEL-SIMULATING TOY Filed June 50, 19 59 ilnited rates Patent 2,999,335 MANUALLY OPERABLE gROUSEL-SIMULA'IING The present invention consists of a manually operable toy simulating a miniature merry-go-round or carousel, and including a frame having two laterally spaced upstanding members and an interconnecting base member, with said frame being provided with rollable horizontally pivotally mounted wheel means below the base member and adapted for rollable contact with an underlying substantially fiat surface such as a floor, sidewalk, or the like, further including ring means mounted between said up standing members and spaced above said base member, additionally including a rotatable carousel means normally including platform means and a substantially vertically directed central member extending through said ring means and being of substantially smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of said ring means, with said carousel means being provided at the bottom thereof with a first element of precessional-movement mounting means and with said base member being provided with a second element of said precessional-move ment mounting means rotatively engaging said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means whereby to mount said carousel means for rotation about its own longitudinal axis of rotation and for precessionalmovement about a vertical central axis through the base member, the ring means, and the precessional-movement mounting means, which is caused by rolling movement of said central member of said carousel means around the inside of said larger diameter ring means, whereby to effectively frictionally impart rotative movement to the entire carousel means and the platform means thereof, which preferably normally carries ornamental figurines thereon, such as animal-simulating figurines, figurines simulating human beings, figurines simulating horses and riders, and the like, whereby said figurines will effectively rotate around said central member in a manner closely simulating the operation of a carousel; said frame being provided with longitudinal handle means for use in controllably oscillating said frame in a manner whereby to cause said central member of said rotatable carousel means to roll around the inside of said larger diameter ring means to impart precessional and rotative movement to the carousel means, and also for use in rolling the entire device along an underlying surface such as a floor, sidewalk, or the like, by means of the wheel means calried by the frame, thus providing a manually operable miniature-carousel-simulating toy wherein the precessional and rotative movement of the carousel means is provided by the very novel structure described above.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a manually operable carousel-simulating toy of the type generally described above, wherein the rotatable carousel means consists of a lower horizontal platform, an upper horizontal platform, and a vertically directed interconnecting central member extending through said ring means and being of substantially smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of said ring means, and with said upper horizontal platform being positioned above said ring means and said lower horizontal platform being posi tioned below said ring means and above said base member, which is transversely directed and connects the two laterally spaced upstanding members of the frame (which actually comprise side members) adjacent the bottom of said frame.

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t is a further object to provide apparatus of the character set forth hereinbefore, wherein the first element of the precessional-movement mounting means comprises a downwardly directed pivot pin means and wherein the second element of the precessional-movement mounting means comprises an upwardly open pivot pin-receiving recess means angularly receiving the pivot pin means therein.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the character set forth in any of the preceding objects, wherein said ring means actually comprises split ring means including two centrally located oppositely curved semicircular portions which together define a substantially circular ring, and additionally including outer extensions adapted to be removably received within two upwardly directed vertical slot-defining portions carried by upper ends of each of said upstanding side members whereby to facilitate easy removal and re-engagement of said split ring means with respect to said upstanding side members.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the character set forth in any of the preceding objects, wherein said longitudinal handle means has one end symmetrically transversely centrally fixedly fastened to said base member of said frame and has another remote end extending angularly upwardly to a position above the top of the frame and longitudinally (usually rearwardly) offset therefrom and usually lying in a plane substantially centrally bisecting said frame between said upstanding side members.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the character set forth in any of the preceding objects, wherein any of said figurines and the platform carrying same may be of integral molded plastic construction.

It is a further object to provide apparatus of the character set forth in any of the preceding objects, which is of exceedingly simple, cheap, foolproof construction such as to be conducive to widespread use of the device.

Further objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after careful study hereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, one exemplary embodiment is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single sheet of drawings, and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with the rotatable carousel means and the split ring means shown in exploded relationship with respect to the frame.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with the top platform of the carousel means broken away so that the operation of the device, comprising the rolling around of the central member of the carousel means inside of the oversized split ring means carried'by the top of the frame means as a result of the proper reciprocating movement of the handle means, can be clearly seen.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated,

the above-mentioned frame takes one specific form, indi cated generally at 10, including two laterally spaced upstanding side members 11 and 12 having an interconnecting base member 13 fixedly attached thereto adjacent the bottom of the frame 10, and with the frame being provided with the above-mentioned rollable horizontally pivotally mounted wheel means below the base member 13 and, in the example illustrated, taking one specific form, indicated at 14, wherein it comprises a longitudinal roller having horizontal axial extension members 15 at each end rollably mounting the roller 14- with respect to the bottom ends 113 and 12B of the side members 11 and 12, respectively.

Also in the specific example illustrated, the hereinbefore-mentioned longitudinal handle means takes one specific form, as indicated generally at 16, wherein it has one end 17 symmetrically transversely centrally fixedly fastened to the bottom of the base member 13, and has the other end 18 extending angularly upwardly to a position normally above the top of the frame lit and longitudinally (usually rearwardly) offset therefrom and usually lying in a plane substantially centrally bisecting the frame between the upstanding side members 11 and 12.

In the specific example illustrated, the hereinbeforementioned ring means takes one specific form, as indicated generally at 19, wherein it comprises split ring means including two substantially semi-circular ring por tions 19A and 193, which are oppositely curved and positioned so that together they effectively form one large substantially circular ring; with each of said ring portions 19A and 19B being provided with outer extensions 20A and 20B and 21A and 21B for the left and right sides thereof, respectively, with the extensions 20A and 20B normally adapted to lie in horizontal abutment extending from the left side of the ring 19 to the left side member 11 of the frame 10 and with the extensions 21A and 21B similarly adapted to lie in horizontal abutment extending from the right side of the ring 19' to the right side member 12 of the frame 10. It should be noted that the left ends of the extensions 20A and 2013 have oppositely directed end portions 22A and 22B adapted to be positioned immediately outside of a vertical slotdefining portion 23 carried by the upper end of the side member 11 and removably receiving the two abutting extensions 20A and 20B therein. It should also be noted that the right ends of the extensions 21A and 2113 have oppositely directed end portions 24A and 24B adapted to be positioned immediately outside of a vertical slot-defining portion 25 carried by the upper end of the side mem ber 12 and removably receiving the two abutting extensions 21A and 21B therein. In other words, the arrangement just described is such that the entire split ring means, indicated generally at 19, is efiectively removably mounted between and interconnecting the upstanding side members 11 and 12 of the frame 10 at a location vertically spaced above the transverse base member 13.

In the specific example illustrated, the hereinbeforementioned carousel means takes one specific form, as indicated generally at 26, wherein it includes a lower substantially horizontal platform 27, an upper substantially horizontal platform 28, and a vertically directed interconnecting central cylindrical member 29, which normally extends through the ring formed of the ring portions 19A and 19B and is of substantially smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of said ring.

Also, in the specific example illustrated, the hereinbefore-mentioned first and second elements of the precessional-movement mounting means precessionally and rotatively mounting the bottom of the carousel means with respect to the base member takes one specific form, as indicated generally at 30, wherein said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means comprises a downwardly directed pivot pin means 31 carried by the bottom of the central member 29, and wherein the second element of said precessional-movement mounting means takes the form of upwardly open pivot-pin-receiving recess means 32 centrally carried by the top surface of the base member 13 and normally precessionally and angularly receiving the pivot pin means 31 therein whereby oscillation of the manually graspable and actuatable end 18 of the handle 16, in the manner shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, will effectively cause the portion of the central member 29 lying within the oversized ring 19 to roll around the inside thereof; thus frictionally imparting precessional-movement and rotation to said central member 29 and, thereby, also to the upper and lower platforms 27 and 28 of the carousel means 26, which platforms normally bear reduced size figurines thereon, such as those indicated at 33, which may simulate animals, human beings, horses and riders, or any other desired objects.

As soon as oscillatory movement of the end 18 of the handle 16, in the manner shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, produces rolling movement and frictional rotation of the central member 29 around the inside of the ring 19, the handle 16 may also be employed for rolling the entire device along an underlying surface such as a floor, sidewalk, or the like, by means of the roller 14.

It should be noted that the figurines 33 may be of integral molded construction with respect to the platform carrying same or may be independently formed and subsequently attached or mounted on said platform, if desired.

It should also be noted that the precessional-movement mounting means 30 may be effectively reversed or may be substantially modified, if desired, and that this is also true of the ring means, which may be made of non-split construction in certain forms of the invention, if desired. It should also be noted that the roller 14 may be modified to comprise any suitable sort of underlying Wheel means and that, in certain non-transportable forms of the invention, it may be dispensed with entirely.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A manually operable carousel-simulating toy, comprising: a frame including two laterally spaced upstanding members and an interconnecting base member, said frame being provided with rollable horizontally pivotally mounted wheel means extending below said base member for reliable contact with an underlying surface; oversized ring means mounted between said upstanding members spaced above said base member and open at the top and bottom in a position symmetrically disposed about a verticalcentral axis passing vertically centrally through the base member and the ring means; a rotatable carousel means consisting of a lower platform, an upper platform, and a longitudinal interconnecting central member having its own central longitudinal axis of rotation, said longitudinal central member extending upwardly through said ring means at an angle with respect to the vertical central axis passing centrally through the base member and the ring means and being of substantially smaller, round, exterior, cross-sectional shape and diameter than the inside diameter of said ring means and normally having an exterior portion of said longitudinal central member lying in rollable frictional abutting engagement with a corresponding interior portion of said ring means; and precessional-movement mounting means including a first element and a second element; said carousel means being centrally provided at the bottom thereof with said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means and said base member being centrally provided with said second element of said precessionalmovement mounting means precessionally engaging said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means whereby to mount said central member for rotation about its own longitudinal axis of rotation and for precessional movement about the vertical central axis passing centrally vertically through the base member, the precessional-movement mounting means, and the ring means, whereby said longitudinal axis of rotation of the longitudinal central member describes the surface of a cone about the vertical central axis passing through the base member, the precessional-movement mounting means, and the ring means; and handle means having one end fixedly fastened to said frame and having another end ex en ng to a position ofliset therefrom for oscillating said frame about a horizontal axis whereby to cause said ring means to frictionally impart precessional movement to said longitudinal central member of said carousel means and to impart rotation thereto about its central longitudinal axis of rotation.

2. A manually operable carousel-simulating toy, comprising: a frame including two laterally spaced upstanding side members and an interconnecting base member adjacent the bottom of said frame, said frame being provided with rollable horizontally pivotally mounted wheel means extending below said base member for rollable contact with an underlying substantially fiat surface; split oversized ring means removably mounted between and interconnecting said upstanding side members spaced above said base member and open at the top and bottom in a position symmetrically disposed about a vertical central axis passing vertically centrally through the base member and the ring means, said split ring means including outer transverse extensions, the upper ends of said upstanding side members being provided with downwardly directed vertical slot-defining portions removably receiving said outer transverse extensions; a rotatable carousel means consisting of a lower horizontal platform, an upper horizontal platform, and a longitudinal interconnecting substantially cylindrical central member having its own central longitudinal axis of rotation, said longitudinal central member extending upwardly through said ring means at an angle with respect to the vertical central axis passing vertically centrally through the base member and the ring means and being of substantially smaller, round, exterior, cross-sectional shape and diameter than the inside diameter of said ring means and normally having a. round exterior portion of said longitudinal central member lying in rollable frictional abutting engagement with a corresponding interior portion of said ring means, each of said upper and lower platforms of said carousel means bearing reduced-size figurines thereon; and precessionalmovement mounting means including a first element and a second element; said longitudinal central member of said carousel means being symmetrically centrally provided at the bottom thereof with said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means and said base member being centrally provided with said second element of said precessional-movement mounting means precessionally engaging said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means whereby to mount said lonigitudinal central member for rotation about its own longitudinal axis of rotation and for precessional movement about the vertical central axis passing centrally vertically through the base means, the precessional-movement mounting means, and the ring means, whereby said longitudinal axis of rotation of the longitudinal central member sweeps through and defines the surface of a cone symmetrically disposed about the vertical central axis passing through the base member, the precessionalmovement mounting means, and the ring means, said first element of said precessional-movement mounting means comprising an angularly downwardly directed pivot pin means and said second element of said precessional-movement mounting means comprising an upwardly open pivot-pin-receiving recess means precessionally and angularly receiving said pivot pin means; and longitudinal handle means having one end symmetrically traversely centrally fixedly fastened to said base member of said frame and having another end of said handle means extending angularly upwardly to a position above the top of said frame and longitudinally offset therefrom and lying in a plane substantially centrally bisecting said frame between said upstanding side members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

